The Wisdom Within Us All

Welcome to the ever-progressing horizon!

I went looking for a single, unchanging truth-something to buffer my mind and spirit from the harsh realities of life. Many popular paths were sampled. Despite their undeniable benefits for so many others, I was not able to achieve a similar satisfaction. I never doubted the value of the practices I sampled, but merely accepted they were not right for me at that time. A key does not cease to be a key because it does not fit the lock in hand.

In time, I collected tools of insight, from here and there, that promised to be helpful. I was determined to construct a custom truth, catering exactly to my unique 'lock'. Once my compilation had come to some initial stopping point, I realized that some basic concepts within the items from the varied sources were repeated. So, I started to trim out the duplicates and those issues that seemed to possess the least power for me-what I deemed as not vital to my personal definition of reality%u2026Occam's razor, if you will.

Having felt successful in my collection, I was inspired to condense this compilation to its most basic form. Surely, such a simple answer as I sought did not require a tome to store its meaning. Maybe there could be a mere handful of insights that I could carry about through life. From those few, all other needed knowledge could blossom, as-and only when-needed.

Little by little, I worked my way through condensing the information, directed by only the most-tenuous hint of intuition-the same guide I had used for initially collecting the material. At the time, I had no real proof that the perspective that was developing would be any more useful to my goal than any of those already available paths. And I could have accepted any of them straight away without so much effort. I was, however, experiencing some discernable benefit from the mere focus of my efforts. So, I continued, if for no other reason than the meditative state of the endeavor.

There were times when the search revealed things about me and about my life that made me wish to be free of the journey that I had started on. Sometimes revelations extracted from my dwindling compilation implied a necessary view of the world that I did not find comfortable, or was not yet ready to step up to yet. Occasionally, my conscious mind would scream in defense, 'you initiated this. Throw it out and walk away!' But I had been warned that once one starts down the path seeking an expanded awareness, there is no turning back-you cannot go 'home.'

At some point, the process of the pursuit became so much a part of my definition of self, even the uncomfortable revelations were less distressing than the idea of turning my back on this path. This stage proved to be quite necessary. For now I condensed what remained with abandon, without the slightest fear for what material might be lost. If intuition did not save it, each passage or concept was eliminated or combined with another. The text alone could no longer be my truth. The alchemical process of the path had become the truth!

In due time, that particular portion of my process was completed-only to start a much more complex progression. It reduced the "truth" that was to buffer me from the demands of life to a single statement. But the resulting 'fixed constant' did not exactly match my preconceived idea. It did not provide me with exactly an invariable ground on which to build a sanctuary. What I was left with informed me:

Truth is but a resting place until the next revelation-the ever progressing horizon.

**Disclaimer: For me, truth is personal and the consciousness that created the world before us is so complex that it can and does simultaneously manifest an infinite number of realities that sometimes appear to the human mind to be diametrically opposed to one another.

This is my truth. Only you can determine if there is any value in it for you.

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at www.kathmandau.blogspot.com

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I would choose no one else's life over mine.
Better a known devil.....

Sure, I-like most people, I suppose-have things about my life that I would like to change. I cannot say that all my grandest dreams have come to pass just yet, however, when we are envious of other's lives or achievements/possessions, we often are only wishing that we could have "a portion" of their lives--what we may see as outer successes or glory. We are never aware of any suffering it took to get to that point, the inner fears that they might have, or the "current cost" of those successes.

Take on the garment of another and you cannot go unaffected by their ways.-Strike a Chord of Silence, CG Walters

I heard a story some time ago about a spiritual leader that got so tired of her flock arguing about whose sufferings was worst. Week after week, not only did they proclaim the supremacy of their own suffering, but they demeaned their neighbors as not being justified in their personal suffering. "If my pain was as little as theirs, I could laugh and be joyous, rather than be forced to go about with this pained look in my eye.
The leader called her flock together around a gnarly little tree one winter day and handed each person a pencil and an envelope with a string through a hole in the corner, and a blank piece of paper inside.
"I have been very troubled that many of you feel that Spirit has given a more severe burden to carry than your neighbors. I took this heartfelt concern to prayer with me, and Spirit has offered a solution.
"We will each take the blank paper down from the envelope, write down our personal suffering, and put the paper back in the envelope. Write your name on the front of the envelope and find a limb to tie your envelope on.
"This is our suffering tree. When you tie your envelope, your suffering onto the tree, Spirit has promised that you will be free of it. However, as you have left a suffering on the tree, you must take one from the tree. Every person will be allowed to exchange their suffering for any other that they pick off this tree as we walk around it. Once all the sufferings have been taken back from this tree, we will be done-and Spirit promises that each of us will then be more content with the suffering we bear."
It took quite a long time of walking around the tree before anyone took any suffering to be their own. But eventually, the first envelope was claimed. Little by little, every envelope came off the tree, each person claiming the suffering of their choice.
And each person claimed the very same suffering they had hung on their tree...but Spirit was correct. Each one was more content with what was theirs to bear.

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Someone may be "walking on water" not because they have learned a great secret, but rather that they have not 'learned' that they cannot do such a thing. Sometimes the correction for a situation is not to do something more, but primarily to stop what we have being doing; rather than learning something new, relinquish limiting information that you have acquired along the way.

Knowledge is gained by daily increment,
Tao is gained by daily loss
Verse 48: Tao Te Ching

Some would assert that except in certain medically or psychologically induced conditions unlearning our limitations is a hopeless fantasy. But isn't the effect of a Zen koan a bit of "un-learning"? In such things exposed via a koan, the conscious mind is provided 'enough rope to hang itself' so that the wisdom beyond and before the dubious learning can come forward. When the blaring flaw in any held/learned concept is exposed, the accepted reality of it crumbles.

One might argue that the purpose of a Zen koan is redirection of the mind. It is generally a question unanswerable in the context of the logical mind-something like, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" The logical mind will grapple with such a question until it exhausts itself. At that point, with it defenses-the infallible fortress of reason-down, the mind is open for a new perspective--thinking outside the box, as it is sometimes called.

The most common example of unlearning is being confronted with undeniable qualities of an individual, situation, or thing that are in direct conflict with a prejudice we hold. When our perception is so challenged, we are left with either denial-recede deeper into our delusion-or redefinition, releasing the "education" we had on that subject before.

At this point there is a subtle but powerful difference in the path we choose. Redefinition can be by amending the existing belief, or by completely releasing the old belief and making a new definition. Outwardly the result of the two options will initially appear the same. With either, one would cease to carry on choices that would be immediate evidence of the previously held prejudice. However, with amendment of a false belief, we are building atop a bad foundation. There is always room for the implicit justification of the amendment-the object of my prejudice is no longer bad 'because'--The implication here is that-even if it is at the subconscious level-the prejudice is not justified now, but could possibly have been justified at one time. As if a change in the one abused by your prejudice is the reason for the amendment.

"Argue your limitations and sure enough they become yours."
Illusions by Richard Bach

Consider how much of what we "cannot" do may actually be what we will not allow ourselves to be able to do because we have accepted some a bit of self-definition imposed on us by another or by a particular experience. The problem in investing in such a definition of self is that we often do not do our "fact checking" before allowing the experience to become a self-creating, self-perpetuating truth.

If the source of information was another person, were we at that time so perceptive as to know the motivation of the person's assessment? If not, how can we sufficiently validate the value of their input as to warrant incorporating it into our very definition of self-the pattern that will define our experience of life? Perhaps they were intentionally malicious, or maybe they were an ally, but factors in their own life at that time clouded their perception.

"Truth told with bad intent beats all the lies you can ever invent." Wm. Blake

Sometimes the person from whom we have incorporated the limiting belief truly was acting out of love for us, but they were the possessor of a limiting belief. Their intention was for our best interest as they saw it, but could offer no more than they were capable of perceiving. If this limiting perception comes from an incontestable source of support-parent, teacher, role model, or spouse-it becomes a particularly complex structure of overcome. In order to free ourselves from this limiting perception at the same time we are seeking to redefine our abilities, we must also accept that our supporter is fallible, that from even our allies may come limiting directives-even though unintentionally.

The more cornerstones of our definition of self or reality that we are attempting to break simultaneously, the more internal resistance we will encounter. Structures like relationships, self-definition, society, etc favor stability and generally have mechanisms to maintain that permanence. Abrupt or extensive change is responded to by personal psychological countermeasures to sure up the existing structure or deterrent reactions to stave of further assault. It is much like a spyware or virus software 'overreacting' to your desired efforts to access a particular website or program that you know does not pose any threat. The structural program is designed to respond categorically, not to a specific item or attempt.

So, how do we unlearn--become less? It is our great blessing that our nature has a self-righting ability, a spiritual gyroscope, except when our spirit, mind, and/or heart has become extremely damaged-and such scenarios take exceptional mechanisms for correction like reincarnation, contact with divine individuals, etc.

Anything that takes you out of your head, your ego, out of thought, will bring you to a place often referred to as your center. This place of your truest definition of self existed before and beyond any accepted limitations. It remains forever with you even if doubted and never visited. This slate of your definition of self is never written upon or marred by your experience. It is what you were in the beginning and what you remain outside the illusion of collected belief.

There are methods and structures of considerable effort that can take you to this place, but it is just as effective to just let go-though this path is not right for everyone and extremely hard for some. In methods, the most common is probably meditation, which runs the gamut of techniques from very intricate combinations of breath, chant and ritual, to just watching the rain fall. In the methods of a less defined nature, it might be as simple as laughing with a young child, lingering on coming out of a much needed nap, or even what some might consider a chore like washing the dishes or mowing the lawn. It is not the activity that makes the difference, but the state of mind--anything that draws you into giving yourself to it whole-heartedly, without thought.

Time spent in such states initiates the self-righting of any host of damages to body, mind, heart, spirit. Such are multiply blessed activities, a joy in and of themselves, boons to health and spirit, as well as one of the most effective methods of releasing ourselves from the bonds of self limitation.

Copyright 2007 CG Walters

This is my truth. Only you can determine if there is any value in it for you.

C.G. Walters primarily writes fiction that focuses on the multidimensionality of our loves and our lives. His current novel, Sacred Vow is a metaphysical novel about a man who responds to the mysterious call of [his soulmate], opening the way to redefinition of both himself and his understanding of the world around him. Highly recommended. -Midwest Book Review.

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A few of mine are:

• Tea and toast, definitely first thing in the morning, but other times as needed


• Feeding the birds-medical science has proven repeatedly that interaction with animals is meditative, healthy for people. For most people this benefit comes through interaction with pets. For me, it's caring for the wild animals, particularly songbirds.


• Time sitting with Kathy at the end of the day-the value of being in a healthy relationship or experiencing human companionship has been identified as providing health benefits and increasing longevity.


• Red wine and dark chocolate at the end of the day-both having proven health benefits

Items that have proven to be a great benefit periodically:

-These are things that I don't always practice or use as often as I know I should-time constraints, etc-but I have found them, and each time I return to visit them I am guaranteed immediate benefits.

• Tao Te Ching - for me, this little book says all that really needs be said. The rest is elaboration or just for entertainment.


• Tai Chi

Less obvious forms of centering that I do as often as possible:

• Watching uplifting, romantic, affirming movies-it just happens to be my nature, and sharing them with Kathy is an added benefit


• Reading books of the same character


• Music of the Classical period or older (Mozart, Johann Christian Bach, Joseph Hayden, Boccherini)-this was initially very surprising. My environment, studies, and life could not justify this connection when I first noticed my instant attachment.


• Singer song-writer music, blues


• Current movie productions of the works of Shakespeare's plays-another thing that had no empirical justification in my life, but was immediately familiar to me and very much needed.


• Walking the mountain, especially for a number of hours-medical science agrees that interaction with nature is beneficial physically and psychologically. A study by Duke University concluded that regular exercise did more for maintaining positive emotions than drugs like Prozac.

Exercise is also vital to the spirit. Through the body, we experience the Spirit. That is the nature of human life.

• Being in nature, in general


• Writing, especially poetry and fiction-journaling is often suggested as a process of self-development. My journaling just happens to be fiction-then Robert A. Johnson points out (in Inner Work ) that nothing is made up. Fantasy is merely the way of the subconscious communicating.

I wish you all good fortune in finding the keys to connecting with your deepest nature. For some it may seem a strange experience initially, but you will soon find out that you are satisfying a need that you were not even aware you had, healing an ailment that you had not even realized you were afflicted with. Based on the experience of myself and many others that I know about, merely re-inviting these ignored or forgotten aspects of yourself-the fuller definition of yourself-back into an active place in your life will bring you immeasurable joy and benefit.

Peace and centering,
CG